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Inside the Hacker-Festzelt beer tent at the Oktoberfest, under its painted sky ceiling
kallerna, CC BY-SA

Oktoberfest

Munich’s beer festival on the Theresienwiese, 18 September to 3 October 2027 (announced): beer, tents, reservations, quiet times.

At a glance

  • 16 days on the Theresienwiese, from Saturday 18 September to Sunday 3 October 2027
  • Free entry to the grounds and the beer tents, 4 euros for the historical Oide Wiesn
  • Only beer from six Munich breweries, served by the one-litre Maß
  • A Maß cost 14.80 to 15.90 euros in 2026, depending on the tent
  • More than six million visitors a year, according to the organisers
  • Weekday mornings were the quiet slots of 2026 on the official visitor barometer

The 2027 edition, day by day

  1. Sat18Sep
  2. Sun19Sep
  3. Mon20Sep
  4. Tue21Sep
  5. Wed22Sep
  6. Thu23Sep
  7. Fri24Sep
  8. Sat25Sep
  9. Sun26Sep
  10. Mon27Sep
  11. Tue28Sep
  12. Wed29Sep
  13. Thu30Sep
  14. Fri1Oct
  15. Sat2Oct
  16. Sun3Oct

Weekend · 16 days · Dates announced

How the festival runs

  1. Parade of the landlords and breweries Sat 18 Sep

    The official kick-off: the festival landlords and the breweries parade to the grounds.

  2. The tapping at Schottenhamel Sat 18 Sep, noon

    The Mayor of Munich taps the first barrel in the Schottenhamel tent. Beer is served in the tents only after that.

  3. Costume and riflemen’s parade Sun 19 Sep

    The Trachten- und Schützenzug: thousands of folklorists parade through the city centre.

  4. The landlords’ concert Sun 26 Sep

    The musical highlight of the festival, on the second Sunday.

  5. Gun salutes at the Bavaria Sun 3 Oct

    The finale on the last day: traditional gun salutes at the foot of the Bavaria statue.

What to taste

  • Wiesn beer by the Maß

    The festival beers of the six Munich breweries, stronger than a normal lager. In 2026 a Maß cost 14.80 to 15.90 euros. The 2027 prices are not yet published.

  • Half a roast chicken

    The festival’s default meal: the usual minimum spend for a reserved table in the main aisles of the big tents is two Maß and half a chicken.

  • Fish on a stick

    Grilled whole on skewers at the Fischer-Vroni tent.

  • Roast ox

    The speciality of the Ochsenbraterei, one of the big tents.

  • Kaiserschmarrn

    The Bavarian shredded pancake, which gives its name to Café Kaiserschmarrn.

  • A glass of wine

    At Kufflers Weinzelt, the wine tent, open until 1 am.

Oktoberfest is Munich’s beer festival, a 16-day fair on the Theresienwiese that the organisers call the world’s largest folk festival and say draws more than six million visitors a year. The City of Munich runs it and has published the 2027 dates: Saturday 18 September to Sunday 3 October 2027. The 2026 edition, the 191st, ran from 19 September to 4 October.

What makes a Wiesn beer

Only six Munich breweries may pour beer at the festival, and the rules they brew by are older than the festival itself.

  • Six breweries: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Spaten and the Staatliches Hofbräuhaus.
  • Two purity laws: the beer must follow the Munich purity law of 1487 and the German one of 1906.
  • Stronger than a lager: Augustiner’s festival beer is 6.3 percent, Hacker-Pschorr’s 6.0.
  • One size: it comes by the Maß, a one-litre mug.

Augustiner is the only brewery that still stores and serves its festival beer in traditional 200-litre wooden barrels, the Hirschen, in the Augustiner Festhalle.

Free tents and a paying corner

Entry to the grounds and to every beer tent is free: you pay for what you eat, drink and ride. The small tents each carry their speciality in their name, from pork knuckle to dumplings, and the wine tent stands in for beer for those who prefer a glass.

The Oide Wiesn

The historical section in the southern part of the ground is the one place with a gate fee.

  • Entry: 4 euros, free for children up to 14 and for everyone after 9 pm.
  • Rides: 1.50 euros each in 2026.

Kufflers Weinzelt, the wine tent, stays open until 1 am, later than the big beer tents.

A day at Oktoberfest without a reservation

A quarter of the seats in the tents cannot be reserved, so a table is not a condition for getting in. A plan that follows the festival’s own rules:

  1. Pick a weekday: weekday mornings were rated quiet throughout 2026 on the official visitor barometer.
  2. Arrive at opening: the grounds opened at 10 am on weekdays and 9 am at weekends in 2026.
  3. Take an unreserved seat: on weekends and public holidays, half the seats stay open to walk-ins until 3 pm.
  4. Leave before 4 pm: from 4 to 6 pm reservations change over and the main entrances of the big tents are usually closed.

In 2027 the 3 October public holiday, one of the busiest days of 2026, falls on the closing Sunday.

Before you go

  • Opening hours: in 2026 the grounds opened at 10 am on weekdays and 9 am at weekends. The big tents served their last beer at 10:30 pm and closed at 11:30 pm. Check the 2027 hours before you go.
  • Bags: 3 litres at most, or 20 x 15 x 10 cm. Larger luggage goes to paid storage at some entrances (5 euros).
  • Glass bottles are not allowed on the grounds.
  • Getting there: the city recommends the U-Bahn, the S-Bahn or walking. The Theresienwiese has its own U-Bahn station. Do not plan on parking nearby.
  • Budget: count on about 15 euros per litre of beer, plus food and rides.
  • Your bed: with several million visitors over two weeks, Munich’s hotels fill up early for the festival weekends.

When the Wiesn is busiest

MomentCrowd in 2026
Weekday morningsQuiet
SaturdaysVery busy
The middle weekendVery busy
3 October (public holiday)Very busy

Source: official visitor barometer, Oktoberfest.de (2026 edition). In 2027, 3 October falls on the closing Sunday.

The small tents and their speciality

TentWhat it cooks
HaxnbratereiPork knuckle
KalbsbratereiVeal
Münchner KnödeleiDumplings
Heimer, AmmerDuck and chicken
Zur BratwurstBratwurst
Café KaiserschmarrnKaiserschmarrn
Wiesn GuglhupfGuglhupf cake

Source: Oktoberfest.de (2026 edition).

Culinary experiences nearby

Fruit and vegetable stalls with striped awnings at the Viktualienmarkt in MunichHenning Schlottmann (User:H-stt), CC BY-SAFood tour1.5 to 3.5 hours

Viktualienmarkt food tour

Guided food tours of Munich’s Viktualienmarkt: five operators compared, 39 to 100 euros per adult, 1.5 to 3.5 hours, in German or in English depending on the tour.MunichView

Other food festivals nearby

Visitors strolling the Frühlingsfest grounds with St Paul's church under a blue sky, MunichUsien, CC BY-SABeerUsually Apr, May

Munich Frühlingsfest

Munich’s spring beer festival on the Theresienwiese: Augustiner and Spaten tents, a wheat beer garden, free entry. 2027 dates not yet published.MunichView
Copper brewing kettles behind the round bar at Paulaner am Nockherberg in MunichUser:Mateus2019, CC BYBeerFeb 26 to Mar 21

Starkbierzeit at the Nockherberg

Munich’s strong beer festival at Paulaner am Nockherberg, 26 February to 21 March 2027: Salvator beer, tickets, tables for ten and practical tips.MunichView
Visitors walking between fairground stalls at the Gäubodenvolksfest in StraubingDALIBRI, CC BY-SABeerAug 13 to 23

Gäubodenvolksfest

Straubing’s Volksfest, 13 to 23 August 2027: seven beer tents, five local breweries, free entry, table rules and getting there.StraubingView

Frequently asked questions

When is Oktoberfest 2027?

From Saturday 18 September to Sunday 3 October 2027, dates published by the City of Munich. The 2026 edition ran from 19 September to 4 October.

Is Oktoberfest free to enter?

Yes. Entry to the grounds and the beer tents is free. Only the historical Oide Wiesn charges 4 euros, free for children up to 14 and for everyone after 9 pm.

How much is a beer at Oktoberfest?

In 2026 a Maß, one litre, cost 14.80 to 15.90 euros depending on the tent. The 2027 prices are not yet published.

Do you need a reservation for the beer tents?

No. A quarter of the seats cannot be reserved, and on weekends and public holidays half of them stay open to walk-ins until 3 pm.

What is the best day to go to Oktoberfest?

A weekday morning. The official visitor barometer rated them quiet throughout 2026, while Saturdays, the middle weekend and the 3 October holiday were very busy.

Which beers are served at Oktoberfest?

Only beer from six Munich breweries: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Spaten and the Staatliches Hofbräuhaus.

What size of bag can you take to Oktoberfest?

Up to 3 litres, or 20 x 15 x 10 cm. Larger bags go to paid storage at some entrances, for 5 euros.

Sources

  • Oktoberfest.de (City of Munich): FAQ, 2027 dates and admission consulted on September 29, 2026
  • Oktoberfest.de: opening hours 2026 consulted on September 29, 2026
  • Oktoberfest.de: beer price 2026 consulted on September 29, 2026
  • Oktoberfest.de: visitor barometer consulted on September 29, 2026
  • Oktoberfest.de: table reservations consulted on September 29, 2026
  • Oktoberfest.de: the six Munich breweries consulted on September 29, 2026
  • Oktoberfest.de: security and bags consulted on September 29, 2026
  • Oktoberfest.de: Oide Wiesn consulted on September 29, 2026
  • Oktoberfest.de: dates of the 2027 programme consulted on October 14, 2026
  • muenchen.de (City of Munich): Oktoberfest consulted on September 29, 2026

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